Carton-marking machine.



PATENTBD AUG. 2, 1904.

C.`S. LUITWIELER.

CARTON MARKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NGV. 22, 1902.

No MODEL.

Znvenonc/Qorneys.

UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CARTON-MARKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,634, dated August 2, 1904.

Application led November 22, 1902. Serial No. 132,397. (No model.)

Be it known that I, CLARENCE S. LUIT- WIELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Carton-Marking Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention consists in a power-actuated marking or printing machine having a start and stop driving mechanism and means whereby when a carton or box is applied to the printing-bed or work-support the said mechanism is rendered operative to actuate the marking' or printing devices to mark or print upon the flap or end of the said carton or box, all being arranged and operating to render the marking or printing devices normally inoperative to mark or print and to bring the said devices automatically7 into action when a carton or box is applied as aforesaid, in order to effect the marking or printing' of the the said carton or box.

/Vhile in making the invention I have had in view more particularly the marking of cartons or boxes, the invention is not necessarily restricted to usefor this precise purpose.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l illustrates a machine containing' an embodiment of the invention, the bed of the machine being in vertical section and certain of the parts at and adjacent the clutch being broken away in order to show the features of construction more clearly. Fig. 2 shows in plan the printing-bed and certain parts adjacent the same.

Having reference to the drawings, the bed of the machine is designated l.

2 designates the printing-head, 2l being the carrying-arm for the said printing-head and the said carrying-arm being provided with trunnions 22, which are fitted to bearing's which are provided in lugs Q3, rising from the bed l. Usually in practice the said arm 9.1 is in operative engagement with an actuating-cam (not shown) upon the cam-shaft 3 of the machine, the said cam-shaft being' journaled in bearings which are provided in lugs 3l on the bed l. By the action of the said cam the arm 21 is operated to depress the printing-head from its position shown in the drawings, so as to cause the printing devices to make contact with the work resting upon the printing-bed, and then is raised again.

At Zet is indicated a portion of the printing devices proper which are carried by the head 2, the said devices usually comprising a series of wheels mounted side by side in the head 2, having suitable printing characters around their respective peripheries and rotarily adjustable in well-known manner to enable any required combination of characters to be brought into the printing position on the said head.

At 4 is the printing-bed or work-support, it being usually provided in practice with a cushion 4.1, of rubber or other suitable material, upon which the work rests, the said printing-bed or work-support being located at the outer end of a stand or bracket a2, which is mounted upon the bed l and projects forwardly therefrom.

At 5 is the inking-pad and at 5l the inkingpad carrier, 52 being a link by means of which the said carrier 5l is suspended from the outer portion of the arm 2l, carrying the printinghead, the said carrier 5l having a rearwardlyextending' arm 53, which is connected at 54 pivotally with an arm 55, the latter being pivoted at its lower end, as at 57, upon bed l and having a roll or the like at 56, that is engaged by a cam 58 upon the cam-shaft 3. Through the action of the said cani the required movements of the inkiug devices are occasioned.

As thus far described the parts of the machine are substantially the same as in prior marking-machines and description of the construction of the machine in detail is unnecessary. One use that I contemplate making of the invention is in the marking of cartons or boxes for containing shoes. lVhen this is the case, the printing-wheels, which are mounted in the head 2, will bear printing characters suitable for marking upon the end or flap of a carton or box the size, width, lot number, material, and style, or such other features and characteristics as it may be desired to indicate upon the exterior' of the carton.

IOO

are provided in lugs 62, rising from the bed 1, y

andthe said driving-shaft has fast thereon a toothed pinion 63, meshing with a toothed gear 64, that is mounted upon the cam-shaft 3. The said gear 64 is loose upon the camshaft 3. In the present instance the clutching devices by means of which at the required times the gear 64 is connected or clutched with the cam-shaft 3 comprise a toothed wheel, as 65, fast with the gear 64, an arm, as 66, mounted upon the cam-shaft 3 and made fast thereon, as by means of a clamping-screw 67, and a dog 68, which is pivoted upon the said arm 66, as at 69, one end of thesaid dog being shaped suitably to enter the respective spaces between the teeth of the toothed wheel 65. When said end of the dog is permitted to enter one of the said spaces, the cam-shaft- 3 and toothed wheel 65 are locked together, with the result that driving power is transmitted to the cam shaft and the printing mechanism is operated. A tension-spring 7, having one extremity thereof connected to the dog 68 and the other extremity thereof connected to a pin 71 on the arm 66, tends to draw the dog 68 into engagement with the toothed vwheel 65. For the purpose of disengaging the dog 68 from the toothed wheel 65 the clutchcontroller 8 is provided. This is in theform of a lever and is pivoted at 81 to a lug 82. depending from the top of the bed 1. The rear extremity of the clutch-controller 8 extends into proximity to the cam-shaft 3 and in the normal position of the clutch-controller lies within the path which is described by the tail of the dog 68 .when the dog is engaged with the toothed wheel and the said dog, the arm 66, and cam-shaft 3 are rotating in unison with the said wheel. The encounter of the tail of the dog with the face 83 of the clutchcontroller during the rotation of the parts aforesaid results in the disengagement of the dog from the toothed wheel 65, which unclutches the toothed wheel from the camshaft. The clutch-controller 8 has a projection or toe 84 constituting a stop which coacts with a like projection or toe 85 on the outer end of the arm 66. The disengagement of the dog 68 from the toothed wheel 65 is succeeded immediately by encounter of the `toe 85 on the arm 66 with the toe 84 of the shaft when arrested in the manner just described, the clutch-controller 8 is furnished with a shoulder at 86, against which the end of the tail of the -dog takes so as to prevent backward movement of the arm 66 and camshaft.

For the purpose of enabling the clutch-controller to be operated by a carton or box when the latter is applied in position to be marked or imprinted a movable gage, as 9, is mounted upon the stand or bracket 42 at the' rear of the printing-bed or work-support 4. This gage 9 has a base 91, fitted upon the top of a slide 92, working in a slot 93, which is formed in the stand or bracket 42. The slide 92 is pressed forward toward Athe printing-bed or work-support4 by means ofa spring 10. The gage 9 is adjustably secured upon the slide 92 by means of a screw 11, the base of the gage 9 being formed with a longitudinal slot 110, through which the stem of the said screw passes, the said slot permitting adjustment of the gage in a direction toward and from the printing-bed 4. This adjustment of the gage 9 provid es for the marking or printing of cartons or boxes havingiiaps or ends of various widths. The gage 9 is held normally by the action of the spring 10 in a position to receive the pressure of the rear edge of the iap or end of a carton or box when the said flap or end is placed upon the printing-bed or work-support 4. As the carton or box is pressed rearwardly relative to the said printing-bed or work-support to place the required portion of its flap or end in position to receive the marking or imprint the edge of the flap or end presses back orl rearward the gage 9, and the movement of the said gage is suitably transmitted to the clutchcontroller 8 to operate the latter. In the present instance the slide 92 is formed with a depending portion, in which below the main portion of the stand or bracket 42 is formed an oblique or inclined slot 921, receivinga pin or the like, as 922, with which the forward extremity of the clutch-controller 8 is provided. In the normal position .of the parts before the carton or box is applied to the printing-bed or work-support the gage 9 occupies its forward position, (shown in Fig. 1,) being held there by the spring' 1'0, and the rear portion of the inclined slot 921 holds the forward extremity of the clutch-controller 8 depressed and its rear extremity in engagement with the arm 66 and dog68. Rearward movement of the slide 92, occasioned, for instance, by the pressure of the edge of the flap or end of a carton or box against the gage 9, causes the clutch-controller to be moved, so as to depress its rear extremity, thereby freeing the arm 66 and dog 68, whereupon the spring 7 draws the dog into engagement with the toothed wheel 65, thus clutching the cam-shaft 3 and toothed wheel 65 together. The cam-shaft makes one revolution, during which the printing-head is caused to descend upon the ap or end of the carton or box resting upon the printing-bed or work-support and again rise, and the carton or box being removed as soon Ico IZO

as the printing-head rises sufficiently, so as to release the gage 9 and permit the slide and gage to be moved forward into their normal position bv the spring l0, the clutch-controller 8 is permitted to resume its normal position and unclutch the driving power, it also locking the cam-shaft from further movement for the time being.

Vhat l claim isg l. vIn combination, the printing-head, the inling device cooperating with said printinghead, a start and stop driving mechanism in operative connection with the said printinghead and inking device to actuate the same, a printing-bed or work-support, and controlling and stopping means operated by an article applied to the said printing-bed or work-support to be printed to actuate the said means.

2. In combination, the printing-head, the inking device cooperating with said printinghead, a start and stop driving mechanism in operative connection with the said printinghead and inking device to actuate the same and comprising essentially a wheel, a dog to engage said wheel, a carrier for said dog, and a dog-controller and stop device, a printingbed or work-support, and means operated by an article applied to the said printing-bed or work-support to be printed to actuate the said dog-controller and stop.

3. In combination, a printing-head, a start and stop drivingmechanism therefor comprising essentially a clutch-wheel, a clutch-dog to cooperate with said clutch-wheel, a carrier for said clutch dog, controlling and stopping' means to control the engagement or' the clutchdog with the clutch-wheel, and hold the parts from further movement and also from rebound, a printing-bed or work-support, and means operated by an article applied to the printing-bed or work-support to be printed to actuate the said controlling and stopping means.

4. In combination, a start and stop driving mechanism provided with a clutch device comprising, essentially, a toothed wheel, a pivoted dog to engage with said wheel, a carrier for said pivoted dog, a printing-head operated by said mechanism, a printing-bed or work-support, a controller and stop to cooperate with the said dog to open the clutch and also to engage with the said carrier to arrest the movement of said printing-head and with the said dog to prevent rebound, and means operated by an article applied to the said printing-bed or work-support to be printed to actuate the said controller and stop.

5. ln combination, a start and stop driving mechanism provided with a clutch device comprising', essentially, a toothed wheel, a pivoted dog to engage with said wheel, a carrier for said pivoted dog, a printing-head operated by said mechanism, a printing-bed or work-support, a controller and stop to cooperate with the said dog and carrier, and a slide adjacent the printing-bed or work-support having a cam-slot to operate the said controller and a gage whereby the said slide is operated by an article applied to the said printing-bed or work-support to be printed.

In testimony whereof(- I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE S. LUITVIELER. vWitnesses:

CHAs. F. RANDALL, vWILLIAM A. COPELAND. 

